Family Picture

I am not the best at getting professional pictures taken. I haven't got a family picture taken since Brock was 7 months old. I do get a family Giants jersey picture snapped of us every football season though! Here are the 3 loves of my life: Seth, Doran, and Brock! Doran and Brock are not the biggest fans of pants. If we are at home then there is a 99% chance they are running around pantless, like they are in this picture!

To my boys

I thought I would start with a beautiful snapshot of a gray/white hair that Jen pulled from my head. Everyone says that children cause them after all.

Dear Doran and Brock:
I love you boys so much! My life would not be complete without both your smiling faces. My goal every morning when I wake up is that I can be the fun, loving, patient, and happy Mommy that you both deserve so much. I love listening to both of you talk and laugh. I love looking at the many facial expressions you both have. I frequently wish that I could some how freeze time because every second with you boys is priceless to me. Time is passing by so fast. It seems like just yesterday that Brocky was born and Doran was so careful with him. I would love watching Doran get on his tiptoes to look at Brock in the bassinet to make sure he was ok. I love you boys so much! Thank you both for being the little angels you are and for making Mommy and Daddy's lives complete.
Love,
Mommy

How did I hear about blogs

I first heard about blogs three or so years ago when my friend Jolynne made one. I loved her blog and would look at it all the time, but it took me about a year to make my own. I finally decided to make my own because I realized it would be a great thing to do for the boys. I have printed it all off for the boys last year and this year. They both love looking at the books and I am very glad that I made one.

Friends

Today's challenge is to post a picture with a friend. I already knew since when I first read through the challenges what I wanted to do. I wanted to put a picture of my life long best friend! My sister Jen! I consider myself so lucky to have her as my sister. She has always been the best example to me. I always looked up to her my whole life. She is the hardest worker, the best mom, beautiful inside and out. She used to always tease me and tell me she knew me better than I knew myself and I would get so mad at her! The truth is she probably did. She is amazing and I wouldn't be who I am now if it weren't for my sis!

Songs

The post for today is to list a song for when you are happy, sad, bored, hyper, and mad. I really love music and so does Seth. I have a hard time picking a favorite song at all and I frequently find new songs that I am obsessed with. Last week, for example, I was obsessed with Green and Yellow by Lil Wayne. I have never listened to a Lil Wayne song before then. It was definately my hyper song. During the spring and summer I really loved running to 1901 by Phoenix, but now it is played out and I don't really like it. So here are my answers, but I love finding new songs. Happy: The High Road by the Broken Bells Bored: Mad World by Gary Jules I actually like this song any time. I have loved it ever since the Donnie Darko soundtrack first came out. It is a great ringtone too. Sad: Letters from the Sky by Civil Twilight Hyper: Green and Yellow by Lil Wayne. It made me pumped for the superbowl. Mad: Uprising by Muse. I actually started liking this one last year, but I couldn't think of another one.

History

Today I spent a lot of the day visiting with my Granny and Poppy about their history. I have known a lot for awhile, but I still know so little. Sometimes it is crazy to think I know so little about 2 people who have always been so important in my life. Today while I was there Poppy told Katie and I to get our cameras ready because he was going to take us somewhere special. He said it was one of Granny's old 'houses'. She lived in it after her family moved out of the tent they lived in. I badgered Granny for answers and in some areas she couldn't remember much. I think the memories were to painful for her so she has slowly erased them. If she told Poppy them, then he will still remember. We drove up 400 South in Orem and turned on to a little dead end gravel road. There was a house to the right and on the edge of their property is an old shed/garage. This is where Granny, her four brothers, and her parents lived for 2 or 3 years. It was just on the ground, dirt floor, one room. It was very humbling. My family room is bigger then it. She said they would hang sheets up to seperate 'rooms'. Katie was able to get her camera in one of the cracks and got a picture inside. There is no kitchen, bathroom, or anything. I had always known Granny spent some of her childhood living in a tent, but I never asked where they went after. I just assumed it had to be better. I am not so sure after seeing this.

I decided I needed to start at the beginning for both of them. They were both born in the Los Angeles area in 1942. Both of their families were from Utah. I asked Poppy why both their families had moved to California or if it was just a coincidence. He told me that in the Great Depression and World War II it was very hard to get work here in Utah. Both of their Dads (who didn't know each other at any point until Granny and Poppy dated I assume) moved their families to California where the economy was booming due to things like shipping docks. Poppy said his family didn't last very long there. He was back by the time he was three months old. Utah's economy got a much needed boost that year because of a new company called Geneva Steel. Poppy said Geneva Steel and him were born the same year, but he has out lived it. Thank heavens! Poppy's family lived in Orem on 900 West. He told me a story of when he was 4 years old and his home burned to the ground. He said he went out to play down the street. He came back a little bit later and his house was on fire! It burned down. They moved in with a relative who lived next door while they rebuilt it. I have been in the rebuilt home many times. It is neat to know Poppy was a little boy that lived and roamed that area! He told me his generation is a tough generation. They are held accountable for their actions. He told a story that had me laughing so hard I was nearly in tears. When he was in the fourth grade he needed to go the restroom so he asked the teachers permission. He told Poppy to wait 10 minutes until recess. Once the bell rang for recess Poppy took off to go to the bathroom and the teacher tried to stop him to be nice and friendly, probably to tell him thanks for waiting, and Poppy turned around and punched him in the chin!!! He said the teacher whipped his butt for it and that is just how things were! Granny had never heard that story before today. He said his parent never did either.

Granny's family stayed in L.A. for a couple years. While there she lost a little sister to SIDs. From there they moved to the Uintah Basin and into a relatives home. From there it was to the tent. The tent was located about where the Lindon Home Depot is now. She is not sure how long she lived there and doesn't know if her brothers will remember either. Both of her parents were afflicted with the disease of alcoholism. She had great parents and I know she loved them very much, but she has had a harder life then anyone I know. I think she has tried to erase lots of the bad memories she had. The shed/gargae house was next. Sometime either in the tent or the shed/garage she lost a little brother in a tragic car accident. From the shed/garage house they moved to an outdated home in American Fork that didn't even have toilets or running water. She said one day she was playing outside and saw a tiny little girl walking down the street. She said to her, "Hi little girl. How old are you?" Come to find out she was older then Granny! That little girl became her good friend. The little girl's mother took care of Granny in special ways from then on. She would buy her clothes and anytime she would buy her own children anything she would get my Granny something as well. In American Fork her little brother was born. Her Mom never drank again from the day he was born. She quit cold turkey! I think I know where Granny gets her toughness from. They moved around a bit in American Fork, but I think that is where they mainly stayed. Her Mom died from Addison disease when Granny was only 27. Her Dad had gotten sober at some point and had stayed sober for 20 years. He relapsed later in life. He died in 1976. Just a few years before Ryan was born. Her little brother Leonard wrote a beautiful tribute to their parents. I asked Granny's permission to type it here.

To my parents Orrin & Della

My mother and my father were very loving parents. They raised seven children in very difficult times. Only five of us grew into adulthood, to really know how much they sacrificed to make sure we were happy, not only in life but happy in what we were doing. They were both afflicted with a disease that we call alcoholism. It robbed them both of many a happy moment and many a happy year. But in between their battles they found time to help us, to nourish us, and to encourage us. They showed us that a good woman, only makes a better man, and a good woman and a better man makes a pretty fine family. Do I sound like I'm bragging? Well if I do, I'm not sorry. The descendents of Orrin and Della Norton are some of the best people on the face of this planet.

Orrin Leon is the kind of big brother every girl and boy wishes they had. He's caring, loving, and will help anyone at the drop of a hat. Nobody has to ask him to help a second time, because Leon is there the first time. Leon is the perfect big brother, always looking out for the little ones. We will never be able to tell this wonderful man how much he has meant to all of us.

Arlen Elroy is the quiet one. He always thinks before he heaps, a trait that all the rest of us wish we had learned too. He never lets his temper get the best of him, and always has something nice to say about his fellow man. The only fault that Arlen has picked up since childhood is that he keeps up with the BYU Cougars and the New York Yankees, sometimes even when it would put most people asleep. Arlen loves his sports, but even that takes a back seat when it comes to loving the family.

Robert Leo uses the wisdom of King Solomon in his dealings with his fellow men. He is respected as a fair man to do business with, but everybody knows (from meeting Bob the first time), that he knowledgable in his dealings. Bob doesn't let the almighty dollar sign get in his way. He remembers his roots and passes his love on to those around him 24 hours a day.

Rhea Dell the first girl, out shines all the boys in having a deep love of those around her, and for her parents. She remembers the past and uses it to make tomorrow a little bit better. A devoted mother in Zion, Rhea will without a doubt be united with not only her beloved mother and father, but with her elder brother Jesus Christ.

Ina May, our jewel of 1944 was taken from us, after only 49 days. She is sorrily missed by us, but we realize she is filling her mission in heaven.

Richard Keith, like Ina May, was taken to his Father In Heaven's side after only 14 days. He too is hard at work in the vineyard, and we are very proud that Ina and Richard are Nortons. We are looking forward to the day we can see them again.

Leonard Lee, the last of Orrin & Della's family, was well protected by his brothers and sister as well as by his parents. Leonard looks up to all of his brothers and sister and trys to emulate their qualities. He has grown to love, because this is what they showed him. He believes that one day all of his brothers and sisters, along with their loving parents will be united again. And he is longing for that day.

I want to find out more of Granny and Poppy's life stories. They are so interesting to me. They lived when things were quite a bit different. I would love for them to write their life stories. Granny has a love for her family history and geneology. I brought home two binders full of documents, pictures, and stories about her family and ancestors. We have families who came across the plains with all the pioneers and settled Utah. My great-great-great-Grandpa George Deliverance Wilson was Joseph Smith's body gaurd in Nauvoo and was in the Mormon Battalion. His mother and father have a series of church books written about them called A Banner is Unfurled. I hope to be able to go through all of Granny's collected information in depth and learn more about these ancestors. I want to post more history and family stories on here! Next up, some Engman stories!

Something I have done recently that I am proud of

I had a hard time thinking of an answer for this. I feel like my days are all pretty typical and I have done little out of the ordinary lately. I haven't done any great service projects or anything so I have to stretch to last year! I was pretty proud of myself for running a half marathon. It wasn't so much the race I was proud of, but all the training required. It was hard work and required lots of early morning or late night runs. Most of them were fun because I would do most of my long runs with Julie. :) My craziest moment that happened while running was on a dark night just across the street at the poop park. I was running on the asphault path through the park and under the power lines when all the sudden right above me was a loud pop! I thought it was a gun shot! Pretty much right after the loud noise something heavy fell from the sky and landed right next to me! I screamed really loud (remember it was pitch black and I couldn't see) and took off running even faster! After running away I got a little sense back and realized it was probably a bird flying into the power line and getting electrocuted. I went back the next day to investigate and saw a dead duck exactly where the little incident had occured. I didn't know duck could fly until then!

Short term goals

I was having a hard time thinking of what some of my short term goals are at first, then I just thought of things I need to do today and I started thinking of some!

1. Teach Doran to write the alphabet and his name. I bought some fun learning boards and books that he is really loving.I don't think we are going to start him in Kindergarten until the following year, but the more he knows the better!

2. Start running again. I took a long break all winter and need to get back in it! I feel so much healthier when I am running regularly and doing yoga. I want to run a 5K by April.

3. Short term, long term, and life long goal: Be patient! I hate when I get in cranky moods or am not as patient as I could be with the boys. I always think how I have memories from their ages so what do I want to remember of me?

Person who has made the biggest impact on my life

The day of mine and Seth's first date I knew I needed to change and fast! I was instantly in love with him and knew he was the one. I knew I needed to be a better person and I have been trying everyday since to be a better person. I love him so much and I am so greatful for how awesome, loving, hard working, and just overall amazing he is! He is my best friend.

Favorite Super Hero

I was originally thinking along the lines of Iron Man or Batman when I saw this. They are the most practical and possible right? Then I saw Gaygay's answer and it made me think outside the box a little more. So I decided to go back to my first obsession... Before Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.... Mythology! Where heroes originated! Then I had a really hard time picking because I love all the myths of the heroes. I love Odysseus, it was him who really won the Trojan War. I love Theseus and how he killed the Minotaur. I love Perseus and how he killed Medusa. Of course I love Heracles. My favorite Heracles story is him killing the snakes in his crib as a baby. I like the story of Achilles and him being dipped in the River Styx as a baby. My favorite though is definately Odysseus. I first learned about him in the 8th grade. I love all of The Illiad and The Odyssey. Of all the heroes, he seems the most noble.

A place we have been

I think the coolest place I have ever been is definately Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Seth has lived many places so I am sure he might have a different answer. For Christmas of 2006 Kevin and my Mom took all of their kids to Mexico. It was so amazing! I loved going from freezing cold to hot and sunny! Doran was just 4 months old, but he did great on the airplane both ways. While we were there we walked along an area full of shops and it was so sunny. I was worried he would burn even with the sunscreen on. Seth went into a hat shop and bought him a little cowboy hat. After that all the sales people would say 'Hey cowboy!' to him. One guy was trying to get us to come in and buy drinks and he said, "How 'bout a margarita for your little cowboy?" Ummmmm, NO! We will definately never forget that guy! It was such a fun trip though. Seth, Doran, and I were up every morning before the sun was up and would go watch it rise over the Sea of Cortez! It was beautiful!
Doran was constantly slathered in sunblock. He was fussy a lot there because he wasn't used to the heat.

Our little cowboy and his padre!

Doran loves this picture now! Of course his obsession with sharks and the ocean is the main reason! He wants to go there again.

Getting ready for sunrise!

Bad habit

I have many habits, many of which are good, and many are bad. I would say the habit that has bugged me my whole life is nail biting. I can not remember early enough to remember not biting my nails and I can remember some pretty early memories too. I sometimes bite them until they bleed. Another painful thing about not having fingernails is the tips of my fingers aren't protected. I will get big splits and cracks all over in the tips of my fingers and they are so painful. I generally try to grow out my fingernails two or three times a year and it is usually in winter because that is when my fingertips split the worst. Right now I am in attempt number 1 for the year of growing my nails out. I usually don't even realize when my attempt has failed until I am half way through with biting them off. The main time I bite my nails is when I am nervous. I bite my nails really bad during good football games, so they could be gone today by half time! This picture is about two weeks of growth (there hasn't been any football games for two weeks). I am going to paint them before the game and hopefully they make it through the day! This habbit has passed on to both Doran and Brock. I try to stop them when I catch them doing it, but from my own experience, I know it is no good!

Picture with friends

Todays challenge is to post a picture with friends. I decided I would post a picture of the people I have been friends with for the longest time! Jolynne and Nicole! I became friends with Jolynne in seventh grade and Nicole in ninth grade. We were Nic, Co, and Jo. They were both the best friends I could have ever asked for! I have so many funny memories with both of them! Now we all live far away from each other, but we still keep in touch. This picture was in August when Nicole was in town from St. George and before Jojo moved to Texas.

Meaning behind our blog name

Apparently some people were creative when they named their blog. Clearly, I was not! I named our blog Engman Family... The only reason I can think to explain my lack of creativity is that I named it after what my life revolves around. I live for my family. Seth. Doran. Brock.

15 interesting facts about me/us

I don't know that I am very interesting so I am going to include Seth and the boys in this. They make me so much less boring!

1. Football!!! I figure that is a good one to start with considering the super bowl is on Sunday! I love football, thanks to Seth of course! Seth first started watching football in the 91 season. That season the New York Giants won it all and they were who Seth supported and has ever since! The first season I actually watched football was the 2007 season and the Giants won it all again then! I also quilted Seth, Doran, and the soon to be delivered Brock Giants blankets for Christmas that season. I get pretty into the games and will jump and scream and embarass myself.

2. I am a Harry Potter nerd. I don't consider this a secret, I am actually rather proud of it. The summer I was 18 I went to Michigan for a week. It killed me to be away from Brooks and my Mom that long. When I got home Brooks showed me that Mom had bought him Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and he asked if I would watch it with him. So I unpacked and made me and him a bed on the family room floor so we could have a sleep over and watch the movie. I brought a couple magazines to read because I already knew I would not be watching and would be bored. I never even opened them! Brooks was asleep within a couple minutes and I was sitting up and watching the whole movie. Then next day I went and bought the first 4 books, which was all that was out at the time. I have waited for the midnight showing of every movie since (even though I was disappointed in a lot of them) and waited in line to get books 5, 6, and 7 at midnight too. I am very sad that there is only one movie left.

3. I am a Lord of the Rings nerd. In highschool I had a mythology class. It was my favorite subject for sure. I love all the Greek/Roman myths and Gods and Goddesses. It was just so interesting to me. In that class we had to go see the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring for an assignment. That was all it took! I frequently re-read the books and watch the movies. Aragorn was once my love.

4. I met the best looking man in the world at the Home Depot. Really. A few months later I married him! I remember in the month of September of 04 we had an early morning store meeting. At the meeting they introduced some new cashiers, that is when I first saw him. He had actually worked there for about a month before on the night crew. He said he saw me before that, but I never saw him. Our first date was on October 9th, we got engaged on January 15th, and married on March 26th. I love him more every day. He keeps getting even better looking too, which is hard to believe possible since he is already so incredibly attractive.

5. I am shy. Lots of people would never know this because if I am in my comfort zone I am not. Seth claims I didn't talk to him the first 4 dates that we went on. If it weren't for Seth I wouldn't have ever made any friends in our new ward. He is just so outgoing, friendly, and fun that he makes friends for both of us. Seth has the best personality and sense of humor. He always has me and everyone else laughing and feeling comfortable. Once I get out of my shy mode I can be rather obnoxious though.

6. I love to cook and bake. I have always loved baking treats and decorating cakes. I would like to take a class to learn how to do more then party and birthday cakes. I would love to be able to make elegant and beautiful cakes. I love making yummy food. I like it more and more every new thing I make. I would never say I am good at creating my own recipes, but I sure am good at following other's recipes! I get online several times a week and will look for new recipes to make or cut out recipes from magazines. Right now I love cooking italian. Ever since we had the garden this summer I have been obsessed with basil and try to cook with it as frequently as possible.

7. I love cuddling. I always try to make Seth and the boys cuddle with me. I could cuddle all day and night. I don't think any of them feel the same.

8. I had hypothermia when I was 12. I was at girls camp and was extremely stupid and immature and thought it would be fun to run around without shoes on the whole time. We were up in the mountains and it was the beginning of June so it still would get pretty cold at night. One afternoon it started raining and I got soaking wet. I got very cold so I decided I would go get in my sleeping bag and warm up. We were in tents that year and my sleeping bag was right by the door. I went in and laid in my bag, but I was so cold I couldn't feel that my sleeping bag was wet from the rain coming in the door. After laying there shivering for quite awhile my sister and her friend Rachel looked at me and both freaked out because I was purple. They heard a lady in a different ward had a heated tent and decided to take me there. I was to cold to walk so they started carrying me, at that point I passed out. I woke up who knows how much later in the arms of some man wrapped in a blanket and right by a fire. I looked behind him and most of the girls in the stake were standing around and crying. They had the whole stake go home early, thank heavens!

9. I have been off of caffiene since New Years of 2004. I had a bad problem. I drank Dr. Pepper and energy drinks around the clock. The first thing I would do in the morning was drink a Dr. Pepper and there was not 1 second ever in any day that I did not have a caffinated beverage or two with me. If it got to 10 a.m. and I didn't have one I would start getting a headache. I tried to quit a minimum of 30 times and always didn't last. Finally on New Years of 04 I was at work at Home Depot and I had a Dr. Pepper and a Bawls energy drink and I decided that they were my last caffinated drinks. Something about this time was different. I knew I was going to stick to it. I had a monstrous headache and threwup for a couple of days, but I made it through it! No more Dr. Pepper for me, but I will occassionally smell peoples...

10. I get motion sickness very easily and bad. I have thrown up in several movies and can not watch Seth play most play station games. Some times even watching TV can make me get sick. Just last night I was watching a show on the NFL network that moved around too much and I had to turn it off and go in the bathroom and try to get over the nausea. I throw up in airplanes, get sick in cars, and when I commuted to Salt Lake in an express bus I once had to ask the driver for his garbage can. Gross!

11. Seth and I house hunted for one month shy of 4 years. We were very blessed that my Mom let us live in her basement while we were extremely indecisive. We were undercontract with a couple things at different times. We were undercontract with a house in August of 07 and we were going to get it and then I got a bad feeling and read online about how other states housing markets were starting to collapse. Seth and I talked about it and decided we didn't want to get that house right then because it was so small and if we got upside down in it we would be in it forever. Finally in June of 09 we bought our house and our payment is only $200 more then it would have been in that other house and over 3000 square feet bigger. We were so grateful that we were indecisive!

12. I love Weight Watchers. I have been doing it for over 4 years. I doubt I will ever not go weigh in.

13. I love food. I get on Seth's nerves sometimes because when I want somewhere (like Chipotle) I will talk about it every day until he finally takes me, then a few days later it is somewhere else. I love almost all foods and could eat all day. (Which is why I will always have to be on Weight Watchers!) I will crave all sorts of different things and either have to make it or go out to eat it. I just can't help it. I love food.

14. I love the sun. I like sitting in the seats that sun is shining in on and I like to have the sun in my eyes. I just love how the sun makes me feel happy! I would love to live somewhere that was warm year round. The only thing I like about winter is that I can leave the blinds open all day and let the sun in and I won't bake everyone in the house!

15. I love color. Purple has always been my favorite color and I am sure it always will be. I hate wearing black and love to have bright colors on. My love of colors is wearing off on the boys. They ask people all the time what there favorite color is. Brock's is green. He picked it last year on St. Patrick's day and hasn't stopped loving it since. Doran loved red the beginning of last year, then during the summer it switched to blue (I think it had something to do with shark week) and now it is red and black. Seth's are red, white, and blue because he loves how they go together. He likes the patriotic look of them. Also they are the Giants colors, which I think should make them America's team and not the stupid Cowboys! Who really likes the Cowboys anyways?

So that is my first post in the 30 day posting challenge! Day 1: Post a recent picture and list 15 interesting facts about me... I don't know how interesting they were.